[LouiseJoanne40]

Hi all, I'm new here having just registered. I have a lot to get off my chest regarding parenting issues!! I am feeling overwhelmed by my large family. I have a soon to be 21 year old daughter, a 17 year old son, an 11 year old daughter and a 2 year old daughter. Oh, I also have a forty something husband who, most of the time, looks as worn out as I feel. My 20 year old shows no signs of ever earning a living, despite us having paid for her 3 years of college, which she finishes this summer. My 17 year old doesn't seem much better when it comes to job seeking, despite having some decent GCSE grades. My 11 year old daughter seems to be doing well academically at school, in year 7 at the mo, but she does have quite an attitude on her for someone quite so young, since entering secondary school our little girl seems to have turned into a 'teenager' overnight. And our 2 year old daughter, is quite defiant, shows little sign of becoming potty trained, or ever getting into a good sleep routine. She has more energy than I do, never seems to tire most days, staying awake till way past midnight! I could do with a break from it all for my own sanity if anything else, but with absolutely no extended family, no on tap grandparents ect, no friends or helpful neighbours, I am literally left juggling everything here. My husband has to work long hours to make ends meet. We are currently struggling financialy with the recession biting us hard, and therefore we are in the process of selling our home and downsizing our mortgage and moving to a much cheaper part of the country! Quite a daunting thought as we have lived in the area we are in now for the past 12 years, my 11 year old and 2 year old took their first steps here! And all my kids have very close friends here, it will be a shame to have to move, but we have little other option! If anyone can relate to any of the issues I have raised here then please comment, as I am desperate to chat to anyone in similar situations

[loolahoop]

Hi all, I'm new here having just registered. I have a lot to get off my chest regarding parenting issues!! I am feeling overwhelmed by my large family. I have a soon to be 21 year old daughter, a 17 year old son, an 11 year old daughter and a 2 year old daughter. Oh, I also have a forty something husband who, most of the time, looks as worn out as I feel. My 20 year old shows no signs of ever earning a living, despite us having paid for her 3 years of college, which she finishes this summer. My 17 year old doesn't seem much better when it comes to job seeking, despite having some decent GCSE grades. My 11 year old daughter seems to be doing well academically at school, in year 7 at the mo, but she does have quite an attitude on her for someone quite so young, since entering secondary school our little girl seems to have turned into a 'teenager' overnight. And our 2 year old daughter, is quite defiant, shows little sign of becoming potty trained, or ever getting into a good sleep routine. She has more energy than I do, never seems to tire most days, staying awake till way past midnight! I could do with a break from it all for my own sanity if anything else, but with absolutely no extended family, no on tap grandparents ect, no friends or helpful neighbours, I am literally left juggling everything here. My husband has to work long hours to make ends meet. We are currently struggling financialy with the recession biting us hard, and therefore we are in the process of selling our home and downsizing our mortgage and moving to a much cheaper part of the country! Quite a daunting thought as we have lived in the area we are in now for the past 12 years, my 11 year old and 2 year old took their first steps here! And all my kids have very close friends here, it will be a shame to have to move, but we have little other option! If anyone can relate to any of the issues I have raised here then please comment, as I am desperate to chat to anyone in similar situations